Tanga threatens to suspend NRM primaries in Bushenyi

The NRM party electoral commission chairperson, Mr Tanga Odoi, has warned party candidates and members in Bushenyi District against violence, lest he suspends the primary elections.

Mr Odoi made the remarks while addressing the candidates, leaders and other party stakeholders at Bushenyi District council hall last Friday.

His visit followed clashes between some supporters of Ms Mary Karooro Okurut, the minister in charge of General Duties at the Office of the Prime Minister and Ms Annet Mugisha Katusiime, who are competing for the NRM flag for the Bushenyi Woman MP seat.

The Tuesday incident in Cell C Ward Four in Ishaka Division, Bushenyi Municipality, left four people injured, and three of them are still hospitalised.

“I have the mandate to suspend NRM elections in any district. I had wanted to do so in Hoima District but after consultations, I allowed them to continue, and Bushenyi is not exceptional. I will not tolerate these acts of violence anymore,” Mr Odoi warned.

Mr Adam Kyakuwa, on behalf of the party’s stakeholders, presented to Mr Odoi a petition, accusing the NRM district chairperson, Mr Hassan Basajjabalaba, of taking sides in the ongoing campaigns and dishing out money.
“The NRM district chairperson is taking sides and he has gone ahead to campaign for some candidates and leaving out others yet he should be a father to all,” Mr Kyakuwa said.

Mr Basajjabalaba, however, denied the accusations. “Things have been going astray since 2017 and as the district [NRM] chairperson, I cannot sit down and just watch as the party is being infiltrated by wrong elements. I have already written a report to President Museveni informing him about the current situation,” he said.

Ms Karooro told the meeting that some people have been hurling insults at her while on radio stations and also decried the removal of her posters. “I am a woman of peace and it is on record, but some individuals are always on my neck,” Ms Karooro said.

Mr Odoi said the long arm of the law will catch those who instigate and participate in violence. He asked security agencies to ensure people have peace and urged candidates to ensure that their supporters keep peace in this remaining time.

Responding to some of the allegations against Mr Basajjabalaba, Mr Odoi said: “I don’t see any problem with my brother Basajjabalaba supporting a candidate because he is a voter of Bushenyi. You just keep your anger and show it at the day of elections, but stop causing chaos. ”

Ms Katusiime did not attend the Friday meeting. Her representative Ms Winne Mbyemeire, who is the LC5 councillor for Nyakabirizi Division, was sent away by Mr Tanga saying he wanted Ms Katusiime and Ms Karooro to attend the meeting.

She did not answer her calls by press time. But Mr Stephen Karuti, who is her campaign team manager, said: “All radio talk shows are recorded, I listen to talk shows and I sometimes participate; there is no where we have abused her (Karooro). There is also no evidence that her posters are being removed…”